College of Nursing Graduate Program
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Advising
MSN
The Master's of Science in Nursing Program prepares nurses for advanced specialty practice with a degree as a primary care nurse practitioner or nurse educator. Students pursuing the MSN PCNP degree may complete a dual option by adding the nurse educator courses to their plan of study as a secondary graduate certificate.
The MSN Program is primarily online, only requiring students to visit campus 1-2 times per semester. Auburn utilizes a variety of state-of-the-art online and distance learning technologies and techniques to facilitate the program and enrich the student learning experience.
Admission to the MSN Program is competitive and enrollment is limited. The MSN Program offers two tracks, the primary care nurse practitioner track or the nurse educator track. Students on the primary care NP track may also choose the dual option in which the nurse educator courses would be added to the plan of study as a graduate certificate. Applicants interested in the dual option should apply to the MSN primary care NP program only and if accepted into the program should then notify the Administrator of Academic Programs at jlr0012@auburn.edu that they would like to be on the dual option plan of study.
Full-time students are admitted in summer semester only and part-time students are admitted in summer, fall, or spring. Full-time NP students can complete their plan of study in six semesters. Full-time nurse educator students can complete their plan of study in three semesters. Part-time program completion time will vary based on required pre-requisites, how part-time is, and which part-time option the student chooses.
Upon successful completion of the MSN PCNP Program, graduates will sit for the family nurse practitioner certification exam.
No GRE is required to apply to the MSN Program.
*** Out of state applicants should contact the Administrator of Academic Programs at jlr0012@auburn.edu or the MSN Coordinator at rls0080@auburn.edu regarding the availability of clinicals within their state.
- Summer Semester Admission - March 1 deadline (full-time or part-time admission)
- Fall Semester Admission- June 1 deadline (part-time admission only)
- Spring Semester Admission - October 1 deadline (part-time admission only)
- Have earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from an accredited Nursing program or approved waiver request (see College of Nursing Specific Admission and Progression below).
- Possess a current, unencumbered RN license in the United States in the state in which you plan to participate in any clinical experience. *** Out of state applicants should contact the Administrator of Academic Programs at jlr0012@auburn.edu or the MSN Coordinator at rls0080@auburn.edu regarding the availability of clinicals within their state. ***
- Have earned a minimum Nursing GPA of 3.0 (ADN, if applicable, and BSN nursing courses used to calculate nursing GPA).
- Must have good academic standing from the last university you attended.
- Must have successfully completed (C or better) an undergraduate statistics course.
- Provide three professional references for the online recommendation form. References must use the online form. Letters will not be reviewed. References should be qualified to judge your abilities to be successful in graduate studies.
- Submit a Professional Goal Statement of approximately 500 words. This statement will include reasons for pursuing this degree and program option, past experience, career goals, and past achievements. The statement will be uploaded with your application in Apply Yourself.
- Submit all official transcripts to the Graduate School, 106 Hargis Hall, Auburn, AL, 36849. Transcripts sent to the College of Nursing will not be forwarded.
- Provide a current curriculum vitae (CV) or resume.
- Complete an interview via telephone, on campus, or videoconference, if required.
Applicants must meet all criteria listed in the current Auburn University Graduate School bulletin and must meet all College of Nursing admission criteria. Applicants may be admitted under fully approved status, or under provisional or exception status. Approved admissions meet all the criteria listed for the Graduate School and any additional criteria for the department, school, or college. Provisional or exception status admission could possibly be granted for students who do not meet certain requirements for admission. Applicants admitted as provisional or as an exception will be fully admitted to the nursing graduate program only when all requirements for admission have been satisfied. Applicants admitted as provisional or as an exception who fail to satisfy all requirements for admission within the specified time period will be dismissed from the Nursing Graduate Program.
*International Applicants must follow Graduate School criteria found in the following link: International Prospective Student Instructions
*For more information regarding international applicants/students, please contact Penny Christopher, Graduate School International Admissions Processing, at pzc0003@auburn.edu or 334-844-7105.
- Applicants that meet all criteria (completed application and meet all above requirements) will be considered for approved admission.
- If applicant is currently a student in last semester of a BSN program (at time of application), the applicant must submit a request for waiver of the BSN and unencumbered RN license admission requirements to Mrs. Jennifer Edwards, Academic Programs Administrator, at jlr0012@auburn.edu for approval by the Graduate Admissions, Progression and Graduation (APG) Committee. If waiver request is approved and applicant is admitted, the student must complete the BSN in good standing prior to enrollment and must obtain the RN license during the first semester of study. These applicants will be admitted under the exception status until the RN license is obtained. An official transcript indicating completion of the BSN must be submitted directly to the Graduate School and documentation of RN license must be submitted to AU College of Nursing before the student will be a fully approved admission. If a waiver is obtained, these applicants will be considered based on the nursing GPA on their current transcripts.
- Applicants may possibly be admitted under an exception status for certain circumstances. Applicants admitted under the exception status will be fully admitted to the graduate program only when all requirements for admission have been met. Students admitted under the exception status who fail to satisfy all requirements for admission within the specified time will be dismissed from the graduate program.
- Applicants may possibly be admitted under provisional status, if otherwise qualified, if the MSN nursing GPA is less than 3.0 on 4.0 scale.
- Once the student has completed 9 hours of graduate credit with a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, the provisional status will be removed. Failure to meet the requirement as stated will prevent progression in the College of Nursing graduate program.
- The Professional Goal Statement will be evaluated using a rubric developed by the Graduate Admission, Progression, and Graduation (APG) Committee. Each statement will be evaluated by 2 graduate faculty members. Applicants to the PCNP track will have at least one NP faculty member evaluate the goal statement.
- Students must complete the letter of intent form sent by the AU College of Nursing, accept enrollment from the Graduate School by logging back into their application, and meet all compliance requirements by the deadline indicated on the offer at admission, or their seat may be given to another applicant.
- Students are required to provide compliance documentation and must complete a background check and drug screen. All compliance documentation, background check, drug screen, and any requirements by Auburn University and/or College of Nursing must be completed by the deadline indicated, prior to course registration.
- To progress through the program, all AU College of Nursing graduate students must receive a grade no less than "B" in all courses. Students earning any two course grades of less than a "B" will be dismissed from the graduate program.
For additional information or questions contact:
Jennifer Edwards
Administrator, Graduate Academic Programs
AU College of Nursing Graduate Programs
or
Dr. Rachael Sweeney
MSN NP Coordinator and Assistant Clinical Professor
AU College of Nursing
Tuition and fees are the same for Alabama residents and out of state residents. The AU College of Nursing graduate program tuition is $612 per credit hour. An additional $200 professional fee will be charged for course NURS 7110. An additional $300 per course professional fee will be charged for courses NURS 7330, NURS 7440, NURS 7550, and NURS 7920.
Effective Summer (May) Semester 2025, clinical course fees will increase. The fees per clinical course will be as follows:
- NURS 7110: $600 one time clinical course fee
- NURS 7330: $600 one-time clinical course fee
- NURS 7440: $600 one-time clinical course fee
- NURS 7550: $600 one-time clinical course fee
- NURS 7920: $600 one-time clinical course fee
Other fees may be incurred prior to enrollment and/or as you progress through the program such as, but not limited to, background check, drug screen, liability insurance, and course specific requirements.
Tuition and Fees are subject to change by the Board of Trustees at the beginning of any term.